Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Gsulfridge on December 31, 2012, 03:23:28 pm
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(http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y406/Gsulfridge/127F44B3-FD46-4925-9F19-43CB09A15610-4270-000008A3ACC2E2C9_zps86a4fc0f.jpg)[IMG]http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y406
My second harvest was a little different than my first. I got three logs today and they looked really good. I soon realized that doesn't tell thee whole story. Because the logs were straight, I assumed nice straight staves. Boy, was I wrong! I'm not sure if they're usable at all. Chime in and let me know whatcha think. Some are 90 degree twists.
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(http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y406/Gsulfridge/98243570-580E-49C7-9F72-E50B2D4C927E-4270-000008A35A388A40_zps64a6d639.jpg)
Here is the rings on one log. I was chomping at the bit
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One last pic. Are these salvageable?
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Nice ring ratio and dark too...nice..... :).....I've made bows from osage n locust staves with 90 degree twist ..no problems straightening n are great shooters....if you don't want em and think its too much ill take em cus it nice wood...I don't mind dealing with twist with dark nice rings
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Hey Blackhawk,
Are you going to be at the TN Classic this year? If so, I will bring these staves. Having never dealt with Osage or twist before, I'm a little intimidated.
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Yup..ill be there....as will many other cagey seasoned osage vets ;) just make yourself some more bows and by the time there seasoned and ready to go so will you ;) ...reduce one or two of those down so they'll be dry enough to work for the classic and ill show ya how to wrestle a stave like that into submission....it really isn't that hard with osage because it responds to heat and corrects better than any other wood
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That's good to know 'hawk. So you think I can rough some out and they'd be ready by May? I don't have a hot box.
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Twisted or not I don't believe I've ever had osage with both rings and color as nice as that, you gottcha some nice stuff there. ;)
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Chase a ring leaving mostly patchy early growth over a chosen ring,seal it with shellac..lay out a bow but leave the limbs full width,cut it out,then reduce it to where it bends a few inches on the floor,then just let em sit inside at 40-50% RH in 60-70 degrees....and they'll be more than ready come may....no hot box required. Just keep an eye on them n make sure there not checking anywhere as there drying..the first few weeks after reducing will be the most crucial time for checking issues.
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Nice haul. Twist isn't hard at all to get out with a heatgun. Looks like a lot of bows there.
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Those are some beautiful rings! Heating that twist outta osage will be pretty easy, a heat gun and crescent wrench will work wonders on it.
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Thanks for the info and encouragement guys! I feel a lot better now :laugh: I was beginning to think I had wasted a half day with a bow saw.
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Umm, wow, on those growth rings. Those twists are my kind of adventure.
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I agree with the guys. Twist is one of the easiest types of problem to deal with in osage. Much easier than if the tree had a bend in it so you'd have to bend a limb sideways. That looks like very nice wood, should make good bows.
George
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I want to frame that picture with the rings in it and hang it in my shop.
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Definatley bring some of that to the classic ;) That is VERY nice wood!
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You got it Will! I can't wait to get there. My dream is to have a bow similar to "Ole Al", cause Pappy's design just seems "right". See you guys in May!
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When I use a stave with that much twist I cut them in half remove the twist, now 45 degrees instead of 90 in each billet, and splice them back together perfectly orienting the backs to be in the correct plane. Sounds like a lot of work but I think it is less than taking 90 degrees out of a full length stave. Excessive untwisting can cause some tiny longitudinal fracturing in osage, not fatal stuff but visible.
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Nice haul. I used to get intimidated by twist too but osage really does respond well to the heat gun. You should have no prob with it once you get comfortable. Gonna be about time for me to get out and get this years osage harvest. I've got several spotted that look good. Danny
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Lot of difference in that with nice rings and what I harvested today. Tiny, tiny rings in it, but it is straight. Soon I'll have enough to get me through the learning curve. I'll start with my worst stave and work up to the cleaner ones. That way if I screw up, I have not destroyed a nice stave. I've never chased a ring before.
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Check out these tiny buggers!
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I love tight ringed osage every bit as much as the easier, fatter ringed stuff. Season that stuff a year, get yourself some sinew, and build one of those recurved shorties that have been popping up here lately.
George
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Sounds like a plan George!
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Try to pay attention to where you are cutting the better stuff. Is it near a water source or at the bottom of a hill? Look the bark over very close and you should see it spiral some if the tree is twisted.
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Good advice Outlaw, all of my harvests have come from one area along a creek. All the staves with good color and nice rings are twisted and all the straight staves have tiny rings ??? I ain't complaining, cause until this past weekend, I had none at all!
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Here's a shot of the first ring under the sapwood. It's darker than other pictures I've seen. Is this odd? Sorry for all the questions, but I am trying to learn and appreciate everyone getting me up to speed.
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blackhawk already told you it was good dark stuff !
Any of that stuff you don't want, take to the classic we will gobble it up like a punch of hogs at the feeding trough !!
sure hope I am there to see ya unloading it !!
I have a similar situation with the hickory where I cut if it ain't twisted it is full of problems I just look for the twisted ones anymore , it is a lot easier to untwist than deal with the other issues !!
Good score !!
Have fun !!
Guy
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I'll be toting some down there for sure, both for some advice and help with the ones I do keep and also some for trading around. I think I have 10 or 12 with the wide rings. No way I could use all that personally. I wish they had a Classic every month!
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I've had some with the dark streaks in it before. It makes a cool looking bow. Make sure to seal up that back super good where you chased that ring. If you don't you'll have checks in it by morning.
I'm assuming you won't be needing me to bring you a stave to the Classic ;)
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Hey Outlaw, I sealed the backs on the three staves that I debarked really well. And as for the stave I asked for, well, things have changed so to speak :laugh:. Im sure you will find someone who needs a stave worse than I do. If not, just look me up at the Classic and we'll talk trade.